I follow Xavier up the stairs to get to his room. A year ago I was forced to go there while people were dying downstairs. A year ago Xavier asked me to marry him. And I almost said yes.

I wonder what life would've been like if I said yes that day. Lots of people wouldn't have died. I would probably have slowly learnt about Xavier's good intentions. 

Jane would jump in before the wedding.

"Oh fuck," I yelp out when I trip over the dress and fall right when I get on top of the stairs. 

I blame the smoke machines and cobwebs. When I look up from my kneeling position, an angry pumpkin is staring at me. Damn, I thought that kiss a minute ago made me sober again. Guess I still have a bit more alcohol to work out of my system.

Xavier turns around and starts laughing at me. 

"Shut up," I mumble and get myself composed before following Xavier to his room. He can't keep in the chuckles and I'm not sure if I can keep my fist from breaking his pretty jaw.

Not now, I order my fist.

For the love of food, Amber, why are you talking to your fist?

"So, this is my room - which you already know," Xavier says and gestures for me to walk in first like a gentlemen. It's hard to take him seriously while he's in a dress. Sure, he used the sleeves to tie around his waist and turn it into a skirt. Sure, he got rid of the wig. Sure, it's pretty clear he works out... But he's in a dress all the same.

I chortle when I walk past him.

It's pretty weird seeing the room so normal while the rest of the house is still in it's Halloween theme.

"What's that for?" Xavier asks while walking in after me. He closes the door.

Ooooooooh, he closed the door, a part of me giggles.

Shut up.

I wonder how big his vinyls are, that same part of me smirks.

Control yourself, I grumble and resort to pinching my arm. "Ouch!" I yelp when I realize I have a pretty hard pincher on me.

"What happened?" Xavier asks and spins around in concern. The angle he's at really shows off his V-line. Xavier seems to notice where my eyes are fixed and raises a smug eyebrow at me.

Oh my fucking food, Amber! Stop staring! Stop fucking staring and just look away. Look away and talk about something else. There, that! Talk about the vinyls or the window view or the bloody maroon curtains matching his maroon bed.

"You have a great elbow," I end up saying.

Fuck my life.

"What?" Xavier asks.

Deciding I'll have to go with it, I say, "Your elbow. It's very nice. Solid."

"Are there non-solid elbows out there?" Xavier asks with the same raised eyebrow. I haven't noticed how his eyebrows are only slightly darker than his already dark auburn hair. They look good. Frame his emerald green eyes perfectly. Nice, solid eyebrows.

"So what's your favorite vinyl?" I ask and walk past Xavier to his collection. It's like a little library of vinyls he has in the corner. A black leather chair and coffee table with a record player is next to the shelf of songs.

Xavier walks over and stands next to me. I feel a little short while barely reaching his shoulder. He's definitely taller than Blake and Owen. At least with my two guys, I could feel a little better while on my toes. Not with this one here.

Yet somehow, I've never felt small while with Xavier. Short, yeah, but not small.

"It's a tough question. A coin toss between an original The Beatles: Yesterday and Today vinyl record and an original Elvis Presley: My happiness vinyl. Both are of course signed," Xavier says.

My jaw does nothing less than drop down to the floor. "Wig snatched! More accurately, your wig snatched, but for the love of food Xavier! Those must be expensive! Let me see!" I demand and wait like an eager child for Xavier to take the two Vinyls from the shelf. They're both encased in a glass cover of sorts that has a bronze clasp that can open it. 

Xavier hands me both and I marvel at the condition they're in. "These must be worth a hundred thousand," I gasp.

"Five hundred thousand. For the two of them," Xavier corrects with a content mile. 

These two records alone can buy a house. And they're just spitting there in Xavier's shelf. How many hobo lives can be changed with these two records. Pretty sure I'm a hobo compared to Xavier.

"Let me hear," I ask and look up at Xavier with hopeful eyes. My braids are starting to come loose, so I push back a strand of white hair out of my face. Damn this white Daenerys dress is getting annoying, I think to myself while pulling at something sticking me at my side. What more can I do when the front is already torn shorter?

Why don't you take it off? A rebellious part of me asks.

Shut up, I reply.

Xavier puts the Elvis vinyl in the record player - does a few adjustments and then walks back to go lie down on his bed. The sigh he lets out while music fills the room is nothing short of content. Content Xavier. This is a first. 

Evening shadows make me blue

When each weary day is through

How I long to be with you

My happiness  

Letting the old music take me to another, better time that I wish I could've been part of, I give in and go to lie down next to Xavier. Not going to lie, the bed looks unbelievably comfortable and last time I was here, I was a little too angry and distracted to appreciate it.

"This room has the best view for a sunrise. Apart from the tree house at the Lonely Island," Xavier says out of nowhere.

"The Lonely Island?" I ask.

We both stare up at the ceiling and I try memorizing the intricate bronze pattern of the chandelier. Ivy and swirls form a piece of art that's cupping light bulbs scattered randomly around like a nest.

Every day I reminisce

Dreaming of your tender kiss

Always thinking how I miss

My happiness  

"It's an island right off the Northern coast. Remember I told you Tygerwell is shaped like a tiger's head? Well, left of the Ear as we call it and North of Isabella, is an Island. It's not very big at all, but it has a lovely spruce forest and the previous Northern leaders built a tree house there. For generations the Northern leaders would marry on that island. It's tradition," Xavier explains.

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then 

I stay quiet. Even though I'm itching to ask if he plans on marrying Jane there. Why do I even care? He gets to have the biggest gang and save the damn world. He gets to complete his dream. Why would he care about me? What am I compared to having the largest gang and saving the damn world? Nothing. I'm probably just nothing. A casual flirt. Some friendly conversation, but nothing more.

Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness  

"There's this giant tub on the one side of the tree house that has an excellent view of the sunset. And on the other side is the massive bed that gets basked in the sunrise every morning. I haven't been there in a while, but I used to go a lot when I just became leader. It's my second favorite place in the world. And that sunrise... That view is the reason why a sunrise is my favorite part of the day," Xavier continues.

A million years it seems

Have gone by since we shared our dreams

But I'll hold you again

There'll be no blue memories then  

"What's number one?" I ask.

"Hmm?" Xavier asks.

"What's your favorite place? You said Lonely Island was your second favorite," I say.

Xavier tears his eyes away from the ceiling and turns to his side so he can look at me. I do the same and feel so paralyzed by his eyes. Once I thought they were poison. Now I can't imagine them being anything other than the cure.

 Whether skies are grey or blue

Any place on earth will do

Just as long as I'm with you

My happiness  

Xavier opens his mouth to say something. "Y-" he starts, but the deafening sound of bullets suddenly goes off outside the door.

"Get down!" Xavier yells and pushes me off of the bed - to the other side. 

Bullets tear through the grand wooden door - sending splinters flying everywhere and feathers start erupting from the bed when the bullets find their way there. Xavier is off of the bed just in time and rushes to his closet to pull out two hand revolvers. 

Xavier chucks me one before crouching behind his desk that he has flipped over. The bullets are still firing and I know without asking that we're waiting for a pause. For a reload. 

I catch the gun perfectly with my left hand and give it a quick glance. Colt Python. Preduced between 1995 and 2005. Good quality. Great quality. Double action. Rear adjust sight. Front ramp. I can work with this, I analyse. 

I give Xavier a quick glance when there's a pause in the gun fire. 

At the same time and without missing a beat, Xavier and I charge for the door. By the looks of his long strides, he's going to jump at that bullet-torn door. Instinctively, I go low and slide to kick the door open just as Xavier jumps over me. The door bursts open and Xavier lands on the guy on the other side. Two shots and the guy is dead. 

Without a word, Xavier shoots out his hand and I grab it to get up. We run past the skeleton-lined walls and try not tripping with all the smoke and cobwebs. Once we're at the stairs and spot the men dressed in black with machine guns, my instinct is to pick up the angry pumpkin next to me. They men hear us and aim in a flash. Xavier tugs at me when he jumps over the railing. I chuck the pumpkin at the attackers and send a few shots that makes pumpkin guts rain down. 

With the minor distraction, I follow Xavier's jump. He lands in a kneeling position and has his hands clasped by his knee like he's waiting.

In the two seconds while I'm falling, I get my balance and land right on Xavier's knee. He brings up his hands and sends me jumping forward. All the while the deafening bullets try following us. Too fast for the attacker, I land with my knee on the first guy - his gun clattering to the side. Xavier already has bullets killing the other two.

I have my gun aimed at the guy's head and hesitate. I've never actually killed anyone.

The hesitation earns me a fist against the cheek and the guy tries getting on top of me to wedge the gun from my hands. I grunt - trying to get enough balance and control to flip him over, but before I can try, a loud shot goes off and blood lands on my face. 

Xavier pulls the man off of me and helps me up. "You okay?" Xavier asks with worried eyes.

"I... I couldn't kill him," I whisper.

The smoke helps cover up the bodies a little so I don't see all the blood.

Xavier pulls off his dress - revealing a black formal kind of pants underneath. He tears at the dress once it's off and ties a piece of material around his wrist. Once it's tied, Xavier takes my hand. He gives me the second maroon-red torn piece of material and closes my hand around it. 

"Remember what I told you. Amber needs Rebma," Xavier says.

I nod, even though I'm not sure I can master the darkness like him yet. A little taste might consume me. I don't want to go back to that.

With my Daenerys dress still torn in front, I follow Xavier to the back of Isabella. We make our way past all the smoke and decorations without too much trouble. I know the other's went to go swim, but the gunshots I hear from the other side of Isabella tell me they're not swimming anymore.

We get to the glass door and Xavier's pause let's me pause as well. 

If the situation wasn't so serious, I would've laughed at drunk Daniel in his soaking wet dress, fighting off one of the guys and yelling out 'Shame! Shame!'. Paul, by the looks of it, managed to grab a machine gun and is firing at the other side of the garden. Nessa is standing at the side - in her see-through cat suit and, I think, is busy cleaning her nails. 

Jack is trying to help Daniel out, but a shot goes through his shoulder. Jack goes down and I feel Xavier tense next to me.

More attackers in the same black clothes come running from the garden. Paul does his best at shooting, but he quickly runs out of bullets and retreats to the back door where we're at. Even Daniel finishes his fight to help Jack get back in. Nessa contributes by telling Daniel to move faster. 

About a dozen guys are charging at us from the garden and I know Xavier and I don't have much bullets left. 

"Grab the three machine guns from the foyer and fire from there. I'm going out there," Xavier orders his inner-gang.

"It's suicide! One step and you're fucking Spongebob with all the holes those bullets will leave," Daniel argues. He's dripping wet and already dark eyelashes look even darker with the drops falling from them.

"Rather lure them inside," I suggest.

"Good idea," Xavier says and I'm honestly surprised he agrees. 

"Where's Owen and Sean?" I ask.

"Owen went to get the maids to safety and Sean, I don' know," Nessa answers. 

"New plan. Jack, Daniel and Paul get up the stairs and wait for them there. Fire at them by the foyer. Nessa, find Owen and tell him to secure the third floor in case they sneak in from the windows. If anybody finds Sean, get him to safety. Xavier, you get a gun and wait for them at the entertainment room. I'll wait in the kitchen," I explain. I kind of expect someone to tell me that the plan won't work. Blake or Owen would probably suggest I go somewhere safer.

"Great idea!" Xavier says and without further word, everyone moves to their places. "Kill the lights," Xavier orders. The smoke machines are still on - creating the perfect cover and cobwebs and skeletons might be in our advantage as distraction. 

I still have the maroon-red material gripped in my one hand.

Xavier takes me to the kitchen and grabs two boxes with bullets from one of the cabinets. He hands me some to reload while he reloads himself. 

"Please, Marigold, just get through the night," Xavier asks while reloading. "You get to go home tomorrow so just make it until then."

"Please, Xavy, just get through the night," I mock while cocking my gun. "You get to marry Jane in two days so just make it until then."

"Don't mock me," Xavier smiles.

I only smirk back before regrettably chucking all the food off of the kitchen counter and coaching behind the island. I send up a silent prayer to honor the food wasted tonight. 

"Who's even attacking?" I ask before Xavier can leave.

"South. I saw a downward arrow tattooed on one of the guys," Xavier answers.

"How did they know we would be having a party? And by the looks of it, they know how to get in through the back garden. Something's suspicious," I say.

"I was thinking the same thing," Xavier says and before he leaves, adds, "Please don't die."

I wink back before Xavier goes away. In silence, I wait. The sound of footsteps outside gets louder and glass breaks as someone kicks through the back door. They could've literally just opened it. Idiots. 

Crouching behind the kitchen island, I listen to the hushed whispers comes from the other room. I hear the attackers walking away - towards the other side of the house. Another few silent seconds pass before I hear machine guns fire from the other side. No doubt there's a battle in the foyer of the house. Itching to help, I restrain myself and stick with the plan.

When I hear footstep enter the kitchen, I jump up and fire a shot at the guy's leg. I run over to him and grab for the machine gun.

"Why hello li'll lady. Miss me?" Someone asks behind me.

I kick away the machine gun and spin around, but the back of a gun hits me exactly where I got hit earlier and black spots dance in my vision. My gun drops and clatters somewhere while I clutch at the granite kitchen island to try and get balance again.

Come on, Amber. Training. Remember your training, I growl at myself.

I let go of the counter, take a few unsteady steps and then straiten. BD has his gun pointed at me.

"You?" I ask. "You work for the North. Why are you with the South?"

BD takes slow steps towards me and I take equally slow steps back. I know I only have limited space until my back will be pressed against the kitchen island. But if I make a move, BD will send a bullet at my brain. My brain is not in the mood for any bullets right now.

"Xavier killed my sister. It's only appropriate that I kill someone he loves as well. Joining with the South to do that seemed fitting," BD shrugs.

His hand is unnervingly steady as his gun stays pointed at me.

"Xavier wouldn't kill Camila," I try to reason.

"You don't know him like I do," BD smiles - his rotten teeth shows and I feel sick. "You don't know how many people he's killed. Girls too. He's not the hero he paints himself to be."

"He never said he was a hero," I growl.

"So you fell for the bad guy?" BD asks. His tongue slides over his rotten teeth and I wonder if his greasy hair could make him look more disgusting than he already does with his teeth alone. Hard to imagine that the beautiful Camila was related to this piece of shit.

"I didn't fall for Xavier," I contradict.

"Do you think I'm a dumbass? Everyone's seen y'all dance. Everyone's seen how ya'll have gone from glares to stares. It's pathetic really. The good, golden little brat falls for the big bad wolf. You don't even know how bad he really is," BD laughs. I can smell his bad breath. Hell, I bet the whole house can.

"You shut your fucking mouth or I'll stuff a wet sock up your ass," I threaten. I make a mental note to work on my threats some time. 

BD only laughs louder and it really annoys me. A spike of fear goes through me when I take my last step and have my back pressed against the granite covered kitchen island. Great. Fuck my life. 

"You remember the night we first met? When your precious boys came to save you in this very same house? I never got to finish my sandwich and do to you what I